UN Women - the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. In doing so, UN Member States took an historic step in accelerating the Organization's goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

POSITION : International Expert, Project Management, and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)

Background
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

About the Region and/or Section

• UN Women Nigeria is currently implementing the European Union (EU) funded Programme tagged Promoting Women’s Engagement in Peace and Security in Northern Nigeria, which supports the Federal Government, three Northern States of Nigeria, and selected constituted Local Government Areas (LGAs) to strengthen women’s leadership, advance gender equality and improve protection for women and children in conflict settings.  The Programme is composed of three inter-locked components, each with their own specific objective:
  • Strengthening women’s role in conflict prevention, peace-making and peace building;
  • Mitigating the impact of conflict upon women and girls; and
  • Enhance a conducive environment for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and monitoring of gender equality commitments in Nigeria.
• Interventions are coordinated through a results-based strategy to raise the capacities of Nigerian institutions, CSOs, Media, Women’s Groups, Community Leaders and Gender Equality Advocates over a  4 -year programme cycle.  The activities related to each thematic area will pursue common overall objectives while remaining flexible to fit the specificities of each of the target areas i.e. Adamawa, Plateau and Gombe State.
• UN Women is the overall executing agency, but implementing the Programme in partnership with UNICEF, who is responsible for implementation of component 2, as well as the Federal and State Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development for component 3. The Programme incorporates a strong communication and knowledge management element, thus, contributing to broader societal change towards gender equality and generating valuable lessons learned for possible similar ventures.
• In furtherance to its implementation strategies under the Programme, UN Women will support some selected Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Nigeria, based in the target states, and or with existing functional structures in one or more of the states and the three States Ministries of Women Affairs (SMWAs) to implement projects specially designed to contribute to the attainment of set goal and objectives of the Programme. The need therefore to strengthen the capacity of these partners on Project Management and M&E - Result-Based Management Approach, in line with the Programme cannot be over emphasized.

About the Position

• Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Programme Manager , UN Women WPS unit, the l International Expert Consultant will design a training plan and facilitate a 5-day strategic capacity building workshop on Project Management and M&E, adopting Result-Based Management (RBM) approach each, for: 1) key project staff of the selected NGOs and 2) SMWA - Adamawa, Plateau and Gombe.
• The trainees will include Project Managers, Programme Officers, M&E Officers and Finance/Admin Officers, implementing partners. A total of about 35 participants are expected to participate and benefit from each of the trainings.
• The International Expert is also expected to design follow-up mentoring plan with UN Women, for the overall programme and for each of the five NGOs and three SMAs, so as to ascertain use of outputs/knowledge acquired from the workshop, in addition to practical guidance and support.
• The specific objective of the assignment is to strengthen the capacity of UN Women’s Staffs and implementing partners in Project Management and M&E (RBM Approach), for effective and efficient implementation and monitoring of the WPS Programme at Federal level in Adamawa, Plateau and Gombe States of Northern Nigeria.
• It is expected that the selected consultant would adopt participatory methodologies in line with UN Women corporate practices at every stage of the process, involving UN Women and the implementing partners. The training methodology should include but not limited to power point presentations, group work, role-plays, case studies and review of project documents. A follow-up on each of the NGOs and SMWAs as well as UN Women programme staffs  is also expected to be carried out by the expert to enhance use of output by participants.

Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of Key Functions:

• Review relevant WPS resources, including Programme’s documents;
• Develop strategic training and mentoring  plans on Project Management and M&E for UN Women staffs, NGOs and SMAWs;
• Conduct capacity building workshop on Project Management and M&E for NGOs and SMAWs;
• Support the development of the programme’s Monitoring plan
• Provide technical support and mentoring of key staff of UN Women, the NGOs and SMWAs on Project implementation and M&E.
• Develop a comprehensive report for the assignment

Description of Functions
Review relevant WPS resources, including Programme’s documents:

• Undertake desk reviews of relevant WPS resources, including the Nigeria National Action Plan on UNSCR and the WPS Programme Documents. Others are proposals, work plans and M&E framework developed by the implementing partners - identify gaps and proffer recommendations with a hindsight of the peculiar environments (political, social and cultural) of the states of interventions.
• The expected output is the development of coherent work plans and M&E frameworks for the NGOs and SMWA Projects, in line with the overall WPS Programme’s objectives and expected results.
• A comprehensive M&E framework and data base for documentation of results and performance indicators for the Programme is also expected to be reviewed, and a new framework developed. This will also be supported by participating in a planning/review meeting with UN Women. The time frame for this function is 8 days in Abuja.).

Develop  strategic training and mentoring  plans on Project Management and M&E for NGOs and SMWAs:

• The expert consultant will develop a comprehensive training and mentoring plans on Project Management and M&E for the UN Women’s implementing partners in the three target states.
• Training modules/slides on relevant topics for the training are also expected to be developed.
• The training and mentoring plans, as well as the modules/slides should be designed to enhance the attainment of set goal and objectives of the assignment within the time frame of the consultancy services. These functions will be completed within 3 working days (Abuja-based).
• The Government and NGOs offices are based in Abuja, Plateau and Kaduna States, while the SMWA in question are based in Adamawa, Plateau and Gombe States.

Conduct capacity building workshop on Project Management and M&E for NGOs and SMWAs:

• The expert consultant will conduct a 5-day capacity building workshop each, for about 30 staff members of the NGOs and 25 staff members of the SMWA on Project Management and M&E, using the RBM approach. Relevant topics contained in the training plan will be delved into using participatory methodologies, including power point presentations, group work and case studies.
• The expert will also develop and administer Pre and Post Test Questionnaire during workshop training in order to analyze and measure the degree of knowledge increase in the various training areas.
• In consensus with UN Women, the two trainings will be conducted in any of the three Programme States i.e. Adamawa, Plateau ,Gombe or the Federal Capital, Abuja. Time frame for these functions is 14 days (field missions).

Provide technical support and mentoring of key staff of the NGOs and SMWAs on Project implementation and M&E:

• The expert consultant will collaborate with UN Women to provide technical support to the trained NGOs and SMWAs within the time frame for the assignment, to enhance effective and efficient implementation of projects. The technical support will include mentoring of trainees, in addition to the conduct of two consecutive quarterly review meetings with staff of the 5 CSOs and 3 SMWA.
• The meetings will aim at measuring progress, identify challenges and proffer recommendations for both the implementing partners and UN Women. Time frame for these functions is 20 days (field mission).

Develop a comprehensive report for the assignment:

• The expert consultant is required to develop a comprehensive report (narrative and financial), describing all activities conducted within the framework of the assignment, including results achieved and recommendations for UN Women and partners.
• Prior to this final report, progress reports and deliverables under each tasks are also required to be submitted to UN Women, in addition to a joint review meeting. The time frame for these functions is  4  days (Abuja-based). The overall time frame for the assignment is 50 working days (15 days  Abuja-based and  35 days field missions), and it is expected to be completed within 3 consecutive months.

Deliverables

• Strategic training and mentoring plans on Project Management and M&E for NGOs and SMAWs;
• Report of capacity building workshop on Project Management and M&E for NGOs and SMWAs;
• Mission report, summarizing meetings held with partners, technical support provided, as well as  analytical summaries and recommendations for Programme follow-up;
• Coherent work plans and M&E frameworks for the NGOs, SMWA Projects and the WPS  Programme, in line with the overall Programme’s objectives and expected results;
• A Comprehensive report for the assignment, with results and achieved and recommendations to UN Women and partners

Competencies
Core values and Guiding principles:

• Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
• Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity: Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff.
• Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies

• Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity
• Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative
• Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication
• Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others
• Conflict Management: Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.Continuous
• Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledgeAppropriate and
• Transparent Decision Making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making

Functional Competencies
The consultant is expected to possess the following functional competencies:

• Facilitate capacity building workshop and mentoring of trainees on Project Management and M&E (RBM Approach);
• Design comprehensive M&E plans and frameworks for projects and programmes;
• Provide technical advice and support on Programme Management to UN Women and partners;
• Plan and set clear goals for effective and efficient implementation and monitoring of Programme;
• Communicate clear and concise, both written and oral.

 Skills and Experience
Education and Certification:

• Master's degree in Social Science, Gender Studies, International Development, Law, Human Rights, Political Science, International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, or other related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of least 7 years’ substantial technical capacity and professional experience in programme Development, Project Management and M&E (RBM Approach);
• Knowledgeable on programme management tools (RBM Approach), with track record of facilitating capacity building trainings for organizations, including UN Agencies, Government institutions and CSOs is required; provide relevant information to substantiate this;
• Practical knowledge of programme implementation and extensive field work experience in the areas of project implementation and M&E ;
• Strong knowledge and experience on Gender Equality, Women’s Rights, Women, Peace and Security agenda, and in particular the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and knowledge of the Nigeria National Action Plan on the Resolution will be a value added;
• Effectiveness in establishing and fostering good relations with CSOs, government counterparts, development partners, including UN and EU is an Advantage;
• Ability to work in an independent manner, organize work efficiently and deal with multiple tasks;
• Previous consultancy experience similar to this assignment with development organizations, especially in programme design, implementation and M&E (RBM approach) is desirable;

Language Requirement:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of the other UN working knowledge is an asset.
• Knowledge of Hausa langue is an asset.